The Way We Were

August 14, 1919

Either the Admiral Farragut or the Spokane, formerly running from Seattle to Skagway by way of Ketchikan, will be returned to the northern run within a month, according to the announcement made by V. A. Peterson, agent of the Pacific Steamship Company at Ketchikan.

“One of the two liners will make a trip as soon as the freight traffic gets heavy,” said Mr. Peterson. “Although the passenger traffic would at times warrant its return before, the San Francisco run is much more congested, and the lack of Alaskan freight traffic during the summer makes it more necessary to keep the boats on the southern run in order to get full capacity use from them.”

The moving of the salmon packs will increase freight traffic enough to warrant the return of one of the vessels.

August 18, 1944

At a meeting of the Wrangell Garden club on Tuesday evening, it was decided to hold the garden show in the Fire hall on Saturday. All the gardeners of Wrangell are urged to exhibit any and all flowers or vegetables that they may have. Containers will be furnished but the exhibitor must have the articles there before noon of that day. A silver offering will be received which will be given to some charitable purpose as has been done in the past.

Coffee and doughnuts will be served during the afternoon and the Garden club hopes that the display of local flowers and produce will be an inspiration to those who attend. The judges will be F. G. Hanford, Ed Moore and Z. M. Bradford. Mrs. George Sumption is general chairman of the show.

August 14, 1969

The fish processing industry is producing here again for the first time in four years, reports Economic Development Commissioner Frank Murkowski.

Shoshoni Inc. of Boise, Idaho, is operating the Hydaburg Co-op cannery, which has been idle since 1965.

Shoshoni will lease the plant for one year with option to buy. The company will employ local residents in the processing jobs. Shoshoni has purchased salmon roe from many Alaskan cold storage plants since 1966.

A diversified operation is planned with eventual processing of shrimp, caviar, crab, clams, fish bait and possibly sea cucumbers and nori kelp. The cannery was originally financed by the Bureau of Indian Affairs working through the Hydaburg Cooperative Association.

August 18, 1994

Wrangell football fans will not be sacked when professional football season opens this fall.

Wrangell Cablevision has announced that both Fox and the NFL broadcasts will be available to Cablevision customers beginning Aug. 18.

All of the necessary equipment is on site, and Cablevision has a master licensing agreement with Fox already in place. Rynda Hayes, Cablevision manager, said that this resolution is of great concern to many subscribers. Hayes also said that RATNET is planning on airing most of the Fox football games from KTBY-TV, the Fox broadcast affiliate in Anchorage. “It was looking real doubtful if we were going to get access to these games although discussions with Fox have been ongoing for over three months now. This was very much a last minute decision.”